To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

Motivational, parental, and cultural influences on achievement and persistence in basic skills mathematics at the community college

MOTIVATIONAL, PARENTAL, AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES
ON ACHIEVEMENT AND PERSISTENCE
IN BASIC SKILLS MATHEMATICS AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
by
Donna E. Nordstrom
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2012
Copyright 2012 Donna E. Nordstrom

The purpose of this study was to address the gap in the current literature on community college students in basic math courses by examining motivational, parental and cultural factors as predictors of achievement and persistence of students enrolled in basic skills mathematics courses at a community college. More specifically, this study investigated the degree to which mathematics self-efficacy, self-regulation, and parenting style predict achievement and persistence of community college students in prealgebra and elementary algebra. For Hispanics in particular, an additional variable of acculturation was considered. Participants included 390 community college students enrolled in a basic skills math course. Participants completed a paper-and-pencil survey consisting of demographic background information, the self-efficacy and self-regulation subscales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, the Parental Authority Questionnaire, and the Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics. Results suggest that both math self-efficacy and self-regulation are important influences on achievement and persistence in a basic skills math course. Math self-efficacy and regulation of time and study environment were found to be the most significant predictor variables for achievement and persistence of community college students in a basic skills math course. Caucasian students earned significantly higher grades in their basic skills math courses as well as reported having higher levels of self-regulation of their time and study environment than did their Hispanic counterparts. Math self-efficacy and regulation of time and study environment were found to be the most significant predictor variables for achievement by Hispanic students in a basic skills math course. Lastly, while acculturation to the dominant culture for Hispanic students correlated significantly with math self-efficacy, metacognitive regulation, effort regulation, and authoritative parenting, it explained a small percentage of the variance in math self-efficacy, effort regulation and authoritative parenting. Results of this study emphasize the importance of community college math faculty understanding motivational principles. Specifically, implications for practice include community college math faculty learning and implementing strategies to strengthen their students’ math self-efficacy and improve the students’ regulation of time and study environment.

The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given.

MOTIVATIONAL, PARENTAL, AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES
ON ACHIEVEMENT AND PERSISTENCE
IN BASIC SKILLS MATHEMATICS AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
by
Donna E. Nordstrom
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2012
Copyright 2012 Donna E. Nordstrom